Means for controlling starting



June 5, 1934. TRAlL 1,961,804

MEANS FOR CONTROLLING STARTING MOTOR AND IGNITION CIRCUITS Filed Nov. 25, 1929 ITnf 91ft) 2%2159/2 1y Z 027 orngy.

Patented June 5, 1934 UNITED STATES MEANS FOR CONTROLLING STARTING MOTOR AND IGNITION CIRCUITS Herbert H. Trail, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, assignor, by mesne assignments, to Mary Baker Fulcher, Chicago, Ill.

Application November 25, 1929, Serial No. 409,739

8 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in means for controlling starting motor and ignition circuits and it consists of the matters hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

The primary object of the invention is to provide an improved means of this kind, which is so constructed that the manipulation thereof first energizes the starting motor and then the ignition system after which the starting motor is deenergized as the engine turns over under its own power.

Another object of the invention is toprovide a lock controlled switch for a coil of this kind which is so formed as to make it impossible for unauthorized persons to wire around the coil for the purpose of starting the associated engine.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide a means of this kind including a lock controlled switch whereby both the ignition and starting motor circuits may be locked against unauthorized tampering.

In' the drawing:-

Fig. 1 is a view partly in elevation and partly in longitudinal section of a coil forming part of my improved means for controlling starting motor and ignition circuits.

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view through the coil as taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1.

. Fig. 3 is another transverse vertical sectional view through the coil as taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a view in side elevation of the rotative switch member of the coil.

Fig. 5 is a perspective View of a step by step rotative contact member embodied in the coil.

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic view of my improved means for controlling starting motor and ignition circuits.

Fig. 7 is a transverse sectional view through the coil on a reduced scale as taken on the line 7 7 of Fig. 1 and illustrates a modified form of construction which will be more fully referred to later.

Referring now in detail to that embodiment of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawing and more particularly to Figs. 1 and 6 thereof, 1 indicates as a whole the improved coil which comprises a cylindrical sheet metal shell 2 having a head 3 of insulation at one end and a metallic disc 4 at the other end. The shell is made from a piece of sheet metal rolled into cylindrical form and the ends of said piece are crimped together as at 5 to form a seam. ,In the disc 4 is formed a peripheral groove 6 into which a part of the shell 2 is spun as at '7 and the associated end of .the shell is flanged over upon the disc as best shown at 8 in Fig. 1. The disc 4 is also notched out as at 9 to receive the shell seam 5 and thus said disc is securely held against displacement with respect to the shell.

The disc is provided on one side or end with a tubular barrel like extension 10 which is ex teriorly threaded at its free end. Said end of the extension is adapted to be inserted through an opening in a suitable support 11 such as the instrument board of an automobile and to re ceive coacting lock nuts 12 and 13 respectively whereby the coil as a whole is secured in place. On the other side or end of said disc is formed an annular boss 14.

15 indicates a contact supporting plate fixed in the shell 1 adjacent the disc 4. Said plate which is made of insulation is provided with a notch 16 at one point in its periphery to receive the shell seam 5, and inwardly extending beads 17 are rolled in the shell, one on each side of the plate to hold it against endwise movement therein. Thus said fixed contact plate is held against displacement in said shell. In one side of that face of said plate 15 adjacent the disc 4 is formed an arcuate contact member 18 and in the other side of said face is formed a pair of inner and outer arcuate contact members 19 and 20 respectively, the inner member being of the greater arcuate length. 21 indicates a fourth arcuate contact member arranged more closely toward the center of said plate and associated therewith are two arcuate recesses 22 and 23 respectively formed in the insulation of said plate. Said recesses taper in depth from one end to the other, being deeper at that end facing toward the contact 21 when considered in a counter clockwise direction. Thus at one end (the deeper end) of each arcuate recess is provided a shoulder 24 and 25 respectively. In this respect it is pointed out that'the recesses 22 and 23 approximate 120 in arcuate length and the contact 21 is of a shorter arcuate length.

In the extension 10 of the disc 4 is journalled a member 26 preferably in the form of the tumbler barrel of a lock. In that end of said member adapted to receive the actuating key 27 are located the tumblers 28 adapted to engage in and be withdrawn from oppositely disposed grooves 29 formed in said extension 10. On the inner end of said member 26 is secured a movable contact carrying member 30. Said member which is made .of insulation is disposed in engagement with the annular boss 14 of the disc 4 and is spaced a short distance from the fixed contact plate 15. A portion of member 30 is cut away to form radial shoulders 31 and 32 respectively as shown in Fig. 4 and these shoulders are adapted to engage a stop-pin 33 carried by the disc 4, in a mamier limiting the rotative turning move-- ment of said member 30. Also formed in said member adjacent said shoulders are openings 34' and 35 respectively, adapted to be engaged by a spring pressed click or ball 36 seated in the boss 14 of the disc 4. The stop-shoulders 31-32 and stop pin 33 are so correlated as to limit the turning movement or rotation of the barrel 26 and contact carrying member to one approximating 130 which is somewhat greater than the arcuate length of the contact 21 and arcuate recesses 22 and 23 respectively of the fixed contact carrying plate 15.

Secured at its mid portion to that part of the carrying member 30 opposite the cut away part thereof is an arcuate contact member or brush 3'7 of approximately 180 in length having a relatively wide yielding finger 38 at one end and a pair of narrower contact fingers 39 and respectively at the other end. The contact finger 38 is adapted for a wiping engagement with the contact 18 of the member 15 while the contact fingers 39 and 40 are adapted to respective wiping engagement with the contacts 19 and 20 of said member 15.

Fixed axially to the carrying member 30 is a ratchet disc 41 having three arcuately spaced ratchet teeth 41', and mounted on said carrying member, coaxially thereof is a step by step rotative contact member 42. This contact member has three arcuately spaced spring contact fingers 43 extending from one side thereof to coact with the contact member 21 and arcuate recesses 22 and 23 respectively of the member 15 before mentioned. The fingers 43 are of an arcuate length approximating that of the associated recesses 22 and 23 and greater than that of the associated contact 21. Thus when two of said fingers are engaged against the two shoulders 24-25 of the recesses 22-23, the third finger is out of en gagement with the contact 21. The member 42 is also provided with a plurality of spring fingers 44 extending from the other side thereof and arranged to coact with the ratchet teeth 41 of the disc 41. A screw 42 operatively secures the disc 41 and contact member 42 upon the carrying member 30.

When the several parts mentioned have been assembled, in the initial part of the turning movement of the barrel 26 in a counterclockwise direction, from off position to on" position the third finger 43 will first engage the contact 21 and then the fingers 38-39 and 40 respectively will engage the associated contacts 18-19 and 20. In the final part of this movement, the said third finger 43 will wipe across and then pass off the contact 21 and into the arcuate recess 23. In a turning movement in a reverse direction from "on" position back to off position, the fingers 38-39 and 40 will wipe back upon their associated contacts while the ratchet teeth 41 will simply click past the fingers 44 just engaged, to engage the next succeeding finger 44. Thus in each turning movement of the barrel 26 from "011 to on the member 42 is given one step of rotative movement. However, in the movement of the barrel from on to on position two of the fingers 43 are engaged with the shoulders 24 and 25 o! the recesses 22 and 23 respectively to hold said member 42 against a reverse movement.

As best shown in Fig. 6, the cap 3 is provided with a central, high tension terminal post 45 and i'our other posts 46-4'748 and 49 respectively. In the shell 1 of the coil are the usual primary and secondary windings 50 and 51 respectively. One end of the primary winding is connected by a lead 52 with the fixed contact 20 before mentioned while the other end is connected by a lead 53 with the post 4'7. One end of the secondary winding 51 is connected to the center terminal post 45 by a lead 54 and the other end of said winding is connected by the lead 55 to the primary winding.

The contact 18 is connected by a lead 56 with the post 46 and the contact 19 is connected by a lead 5'7 with the post 49. The contact 21 is connected by a lead 58 with the post 48 while the associated step by step fingers 43 are grounded to the instrument board 11 through the barrel 26 and extension 10.

The coil construction described is particularly adapted for use in connection with the starting motor and ignition circuit of an internal combustion engine 59, the fiy wheel 60 of which is provided with gear teeth 61. The distributor 62 of the engine has its center contact connected by a lead 63 with the high tension terminal 45 of the coil and is connected by leads 64 with various spark plugs of the engine. The timer 65 of the engine is grounded on one side as at 66 and is connected by a lead 6'7 with the post 47 of the coil.

The starting motor 68 is of the kind having a pinion 69 which when said motor is energized, rotates with the shaft '70 of the starting motor as well as moves axially thereon, to be operatively engaged with the teeth 61 on the fly wheel 60. When the starting motor is deenergized the pinion is withdrawn from the fiy wheel in the manper well known in starting motors of this kind. Said pinion has a radial flange '71 at one end adapted to engage with a yielding contact finger '72 that is connected by a lead '73 with the post 48.

The starting motor which is grounded as at '74 has associated therewith a normally open spring held switch adapted to be actuated by a solenoid 76 to close the circuit to the starting motor. noid 76 is connected to the lead '73 and the other end is connected by a lead '77 with the post 49. A source of current supply such as a battery '78 is grounded at one side as shown at 78. The other side of said battery is connected by a lead '79 to the switch '75 and by a lead 80 with the terminal post 46.

When the switch is in the ofi'" position, the finger 38 is disposed adjacent but out of contact with the top end of the contact 18 and the fingers 39 and 40 are out of contact with bottom ends of the contacts 19 and 20 as when viewed in Fig. 3. Top and "bottom in this instance are merely used for convenience with reference to the position of the parts as shown in Fig. 3. With the fingers 38-39 and 40 positioned as described. two of the fingers 43 will be engaged with the shoulders 24-25 of the recesses 2223 and the third finger 43 will be engaged with the plate 15 a short distance to the right of the contact 21. To move the switch toward an on position the key 271s inserted in the barrel 26 and turned counterclockwise. In the first or initial part of the movement of the member 30, the third finger 43 is brought into engagement with the contact 21 and the fingers 38 and 39 are brought into engagement With their associated contacts 18 and 19 but the finger 40 has not as yet engaged its associated contact 20.

In this initial movement of the member 33, the circuit is closed from the battery '78, through lead 80, post 46 lead 56 to the contact 18 then across the switch arm 37 to the contact 20, lead 5'7, post 49, lead '77 solenoid coil '76 lead '73 post 48, lead 58, contact 21 to ground on the in- One end of the winding of the solestrument board 11. This energizes the coil 76 to close switch 75 which connects one side of the starting motor 68'to battery '78 and as the other side of the motor is grounded as described,

' the starting motor is energized. When the starting motor is energized, the pinion 69, moves axially endwise on the shaft 70 into engagement with the fly wheel 61 and rotates the fly wheel to turn over its associated crank shaft.

During the turning or movement of the switch and while the starting motor is turning over the engine, the contact finger 40 then engages the contact 19, energizes the primary winding 58, from one end through the lead 52, the other end being connected by the lead to lead 53 and thence to the ground 66. As the secondary coil is connected by lead 54 to high tension post 45 and lead to distributor 62 current passes from there to the spark plugs of the engine 59 by leads 64.

t i pointed out at this time, that in the movement of the pinion 69 on the starting motor shaft toward the fly wheel 60, the flange 71 on said pinion engages the contact '72 and thus provides a second ground for the solenoid coil.

As the switch mechanism reaches full on position the third finger is of the step by step member 42 previously engaged with the contact member 21 leaves the same but as the pinion 69 is still driving the ily wheel it is still engaged with the spring contact 72 to maintain the circuit for the solenoid 76 closed so that the starting motor is still driving the fly wheel. With the ignition. circuit completed, the engine 59 is now running under its own power and the fly wheel will over run the pinion 69 which travels axially inward on the starter shaft '70. In this movement or" the pinion, the flange 71 thereof leaves the contact 72 thus breaking the second ground connection for the solenoid which now becomes deenergized. This will permit the switch 72 to open or shut oi? the current supply from the battery 78 to the starting motor which now stops.

Should the engine stop of itself, it cannot again be started by the motor 68 until the switch has been turned in a reverse direction back to off position after which it again must be turned to on position as before described. In this movement of the switch back to off" position, the member 42 remains inoperative because of the engagement of two lingers 43 with the shoulders 2=i25, the teeth 4.1 of the member 41 clicking back over the teeth 42 of said member 41. When again turned to an on position, the solenoid 73 is first energized to operate the switch to close the starting motor circuit and then bring the ignition circuit into play, and, when the engine runs under its own power, the starting motor is automatically stopped. If after the engine is running under its own power and it is desired to stop the same, the switch must be turned back to off position and to restart, the operation is as before mentioned. By energizing the starting motor first and then bringing the ignition circuit into play, back firing of the engine is prevented should the timer 65 be too far advanced.

By the construction described I am enabled to control by a single manual operation, both the starting motor circuit and the ignition circuit when the key 27 is withdrawn, both circuits are locked closed against unauthorized tampering. Again such an arrangement vents wiring around the coil by unauthorized persons for the purpose of starting the engine.

To simplify the construction by eliminating the contact '72 such as shown in Fig. 6, I provide the arrangement shown in Fig. 7. In said arrangement I simply add an opening 343: in the member 30 between the openings 34-35 therein, which opening is adapted to be engaged by the spring pressed ball 36. This opening 343: is so located in said member 30 that in the movement of the switch from off to on position, the contact finger 43 is still engaged with the contact 21 to close the starting motor circuit at the time when the contact fingers 38-39 and 40 are engaged with their associated contacts. Thus the starting motor is energized to turn over the engine and the ignition system is on and so soon as the engine turns over under its own power the switch is turned to its full on position.

In this movement of the switch to full on position, the contact finger 43 previously engaged with the contact 21 leaves the same to deenergize the starting motor circuit, the fly wheel 66 overrunning the pinion 69 to return it to its normal inoperative position on the shaft 70.

With the use of the contact '72, the switch is turned from full on? position to full on position with no intermediate stop or position therebetween. Where the contact '72 is eliminated and the opening 340: is provided in the member 30, the switch is stopped in a position between off and on until the engine turns over under i;s own power and when this has occurred, the switch is then turned to its full on position with the engine running under its own power.

While in describing the invention, I have re ferred in detail to the form, arrangement and construction of the parts employed, the same is to be considered merely as illustrative so that I do not wish to be limited thereto except as may be specifically set forth in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:-

1. In combination, a base having a plurality Y of fixed contacts thereon, a member movably mounted with respect to said base, a contact element movable with said member when men ber is moved in one dir ction from an off to an on position for engaging certain ones of said fixed contacts, another contact element, means connecting said last mentioned contact element to said for one-way movement with respect thereto for engagement and disengagement with a certain other of said fixed contacts as said member is moved toward the on position.

In combination, a base having a plurality of arcuate contacts fixed thereon, a member so mounted with respect to said base as to be turned in one direction and the other, with respect to said base from an off to an on position, a contact element carried by said member and operating in the turning movement thereof in one direction toward the on position for engaging certain ones of said fixed contacts, an-

side of said face and spaced arcuately from the first mentioned contact, another contact arranged on said face between one end of said first mentioned contact and said pair of contacts, a member turnable with respect to said base in one direction and the other, from an "off to an on position, and a contact movable with said member and operating when said member is turned in one direction toward en position to engage and electrically connect said first mentioned contact and said pair of contacts on the face of the base together and to engage and disengage with said other contact on said face of said base.

4. In combination, a base, a plurality of contacts fixed to one face of said base, there being a contact arranged on one side of said face and a pair of radially spaced contacts on the other side of said face and spaced arcuatcly from the first mentioned contact, another contact arranged on said face between one end of said first mentioned contact and said pair of contacts, a member turnable with respect to said base in one direction and the other from an off to an on position, a contact fixed to said member so as to turn in both directions therewith and operating when said member is turned in one direction toward on position to engage and electrically connect said first mentioned contact and said pair of contacts on the face of said base, and another contact movable with said member when the same is turned in one direction toward on position only and operating in said movement to engage and disengage with said other contact on said face of said base.

5. In combination, a base, a plurality of contacts fixed to one face of said base, there being a contact arranged on one side of said face and a pair of radially spaced contacts on the other side of said face and spaced arcuately from the first mentioned contact, another contact arranged on said face between one end of said first mentioned contact and said pair of contacts, a member turnable with respect to said base in one direction and the other, from an off to an "on position, a contact fixed to said member so as to turn in both directions therewith and operating when said member is turned in one direction toward on position to engage and electrically connect said first mentioned member and said pair of contacts on said face of the base, a disc turnably mounted with respect to said member and including sets of oppositely facing spring fingers, one of said sets of fingers being engageable by parts fixed with respect to said member when said member is turned in one direction and which parts slip over said fingers in said set when said member is turned in the other direction toward off position and one finger of the other set of fingers of said disc engaging and disengaging with said other contact in said face of the base in the turning movement of said member in one direction toward on position.

6. In combination, a base, a plurality of contacts fixed to one face of said base, there being a contact arranged on one side of said face and a pair of radially spaced contacts on the other side of said face and spaced arcuately from the first mentioned contact, another contact arranged on said face between one end of said first mentioned contact and said pair of contacts, a

member turnable with respect to said base in one direction and the other from an off toward an on position, a contact fixed to said member so as to turn in both directions therewith and operating when said member is turned in one direction toward on position to engage and electrically connect said first mentioned contact and said pair of contacts on said face of the base, a disc turnably mounted with respect to said member andincluding sets of oppositely facing spring fingers, one of said sets of fingers being engageable by parts fixed with respect to said member when said member is turned in one direction toward on position and which parts slip over said fingers in said set when said member is turned in the other direction toward off position and one finger of the other set of fingers of said disc engaging and disengaging with said other contact in said face of the base in the turning movement of said member in one direction toward on position, there being a stop member formed in said base and engageable by another finger of the last mentioned set to prevent a turning movement of the disc in the opposite direction when said member is turned in said other direction toward off position.

7. In combination, a casing having an extension part, a base of insulation arranged in said casing and having a plurality of spaced apart arcuate contacts fixed to one face thereof, a member mounted in said extension part for a turning movement in one direction and the other from an off to an on position, means for limiting the turning movement of said member to less than a complete turn, a disc of insulation carried by said member, a contact member fixed to said disc and operating in the turning movement of said member in said extension part in one direction toward the on position for engaging certain ones of said fixed contacts on said face of the base, another contact element and means for connecting it to said member in said extension part for a relative one-way movement with respect thereto for engagement and disengagement with a certain other of said fixed contacts.

8. In combination, a casing having an extension part, a base of insulation in said casing, a plurality of contacts fixed to one face of said base, there being a contact arranged on one side of said face and a pair of radially spaced contacts on the other side of said face and spaced arcuately from the first mentioned contact, another contact arranged on said face between one end of said first mentioned contact and said pair of contacts, a member mounted in said extension part for a turning movement in one direction and the other from an off to an on position and vice versa, means for limiting the turning movement of said member to less than a complete turn, a disc of insulation carried by said member, an arcuate contact fixed to said disc and operating in the turning movement of said extension part in one direction toward on position for engaging said first mentioned contact and said pair of contacts on opposite sides of said face of said base for electrically connecting them together, another contact element and means for connecting it to said member in said extension part for a relative one-way movement with respect thereto for engagement and disengagement with a certain other of said contacts in said face of the base.

HERBERT H. TRAIL. 

